Beth DeLaForest: Crafting a Boutique Agency Vision

Join us for the latest episode of the She Means Business podcast, hosted by Ashley Mastowsk, with guest Beth DeLaForest, owner of Aspire Insurance. Beth discusses her journey to owning her business and the challenges and rewards of building an agency from scratch, balancing work with family life, and her passion for creating a boutique agency experience. Episode Highlights: Beth mentions that she fell into insurance by accident after starting as a receptionist at a State Farm agency at age 20 and became licensed 3 months later. (2:12) Beth shares that when she started her independent agency in 2010, she took no clients or business and built her book from scratch. (10:35) Beth discusses how her husband's schedule gave her flexibility to build her agency while her kids were young. (21:39) Beth explains how she and her husband have separate home offices and don't work directly together, which has helped their marriage. (28:01) Beth emphasizes the need for self-care and prioritizing date nights to maintain a strong relationship while juggling business ownership. (35:50) Beth explained that visiting her new agency location in Gilbert, Minnesota provided an opportunity to decompress in the vacation rental space above the office. (39:23) Beth mentions that Aspire focuses on word-of-mouth marketing, building relationships, and providing high-quality service, resulting in high retention rates and customer satisfaction. (41:23) Key Quotes: “We're more positioned as a service type of agency than a sales agency, our sales are good, but our sales are most oftentimes a result of relationships and service.” - Beth DeLaForest “We just go out and connect with people, and make friends and help. I'm in a helping profession. That's how I approach what I'm doing. And, I don't feel like I'm in a sales role. I feel like I'm helping people and I'm not going to shove a product that isn't a fit or try to sell somebody that's better served someplace else, or with the product that they currently have if it's not the right fit for them ” - Beth DeLaForest Resources Mentioned: Connect with Beth DeLaForest Aspire Insurance Connect with Ashley Mastowski She Means Business Podcast First Choice Insurance Group Contact First Choice Insurance Group Little Dog Social Media